IdahoReporter.com

A Senate panel approved a resolution Monday asking Idaho state agencies to work with other states on wolf management issues.  The Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG) supports the measure calling for cooperation with the Office of Species Conservation to take the lead in arranging meetings with similar agencies in other states.

“The resolution encourages collaboration and we’re already trying to accomplish that,” said Sharon Kiefer, IDFG’s policy director. “It certainly helps with prioritizing our responsibilities.” IDFG manages Idaho’s wolf population and the state’s wolf hunt. Kiefer said the IDFG meets every year with similar agencies in Wyoming and Montana, with wolves being one topic of conversation. The state has also contacted Alaska on dealing with wolf issues related to the federal government, and has contacted other states and Canadian provinces in the West.

“I kind of appreciate looking down the road and collaborating with other states around us and doing a better job,” said Sen. Charles Coiner, R-Twin Falls. The Senate Resources and Environment Committee approved the non-binding resolution without dissent. Committee chairman Sen. Gary Schroeder, R-Moscow, is sponsoring the measure, which he will present to the full Senate.

The resolution says that lawsuits involving wolves has cost Idaho and other states a significant amount of money, time, and resources, and that the actions of one state can affect nearby states. Read the full resolution here.